Poll: Freedom Convoy and Related Protests

[Robert]

I have not joined BLM or participated in any of their activities, I would not do that for the freedom convoy either. I do not support political violence, and I really don't support political rancor.

I was sympathetic to BLM at first. I did not agree with their premise, but had no issue with them voicing their perspective. As soon as they started chanting "Pigs in the blanket, fry them like bacon" and other things that were anti law enforcement, I started to see their true foundation. I had no interest in it. I researched the numbers and found they had little facts to stand on.

The things like the Freedom Convoy, while I would not join, I am sympathetic. I look at their foundation and find it acceptable and factual. I would enjoy visiting Ottawa just to see and witness the event. I would not visit a BLM protest since violence always seems to follow. If one came past my house, I would watch from the window.

I do not see these two the same.

[Josh]

If the Freedom Convoy starts to burn down buildings, call for defunding the police, throwing frozen water bottles at police, etc. then I would be glad to denounce them. One reason I am very sympathetic to them is they have remained very peaceful - indeed, they have brought peace with them. Crime has gone way down since they showed up.

[Ken]

If the Freedom Convoy starts to burn down buildings, call for defunding the police, throwing frozen water bottles at police, etc. then I would be glad to denounce them. One reason I am very sympathetic to them is they have remained very peaceful - indeed, they have brought peace with them. Crime has gone way down since they showed up.

It is economic vandalism. By blockading bridges and highways they have probably destroyed more economic value than all of the BLM protests combined during all of 2020. Millions of people depend on reliable transportation for their livelihoods. But since you support their stated objectives I guess that is all OK? Or at worst, just acceptable collateral damage?

[Sudsy]

But I like the idea of being a remnant people, the "quiet in the land" who are not identified by taking sides in political controversies. We should not be fanning the flames of these controversies, we should be building the Kingdom of God. I don't think we do that by joining the "freedom convoy".

This was the last statement of a previous post that triggered some thought.

The world will never know what real freedom is unless they turn to Christ. And perhaps many of us professing Christians also don't have an appreciation and/or much experience with the freedom that walking in the Spirit provides. Many are very troubled and anxious when we are to not be anxious about anything, Philippians 4:6.

What if we all joined in together in a real "freedom convoy". The freedom that sets people truly free from the power of sin and gives them a living hope. This is the "freedom convoy" that we all have been called to participate in. It is basic to the Kingdom of God being built.

In one sense, as you stated and on other earthly concerns, I agree the "quiet in the land" is what I believe Jesus would remind us to be. On the other hand, we are not to be the "quiet in the land" when it comes to sharing the Good News by words and good deeds.

There is a withdrawal from this world and it's ways and there is an engagement with the world also required. The withdrawaI has much to do with sanctification and should reflect being born again. The engagement with caring about others who are lost and dying without the Lord which I also believe is a reflection of being born again. John 8:36 -

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

[Ernie]

Ernie,
With respect, I’ve been a lot more involved in politics than you have been, and your approach would accomplish absolutely nothing.
The current government is not interested in hearing appeals from people who don’t want mandates. It is not a matter of a need to be more “respectful”. It is much more analogous to Anabaptists attempting to petition Swiss government; they were met with execution.

I don't doubt that you have been more involved in politics than I have.
But I'm guessing you have never received 200 million pieces of mail, plus 200 million faxes per day, plus a line of people at least a mile long, that is carrying signs and dropping off mail. I'm guessing that this would draw the same kind of media coverage and would have similar or better impact on government authorities. I think it would have the same impact as a peaceful protest that did not create traffic chaos, disturb civilian residents, or hinder people from going to work and providing for their families.

A demanding sort of protest is done in a very different spirit, and does not really care about how others might suffer from traffic chaos, disturbing civilian residents with constant loud noise, hindering people from earning enough money to pay their bills, looting stores, burning cars, destroying buildings, etc.

[appleman2006]

I apologize in advance. This will probably be lengthy but I thought a few of you may be interested in another perspective on this. I do not claim that it is the right perspective but as someone that watched this whole thing very intensely ever since the convoy left BC a little over three weeks ago now and who actually took an hour or so mainly because my wife begged me, to watch the convoy go by on a highway near us I have had some time to think and digest what has been happening. So for what it is worth here are my observations as the protest heads into its third full week in Ottawa.
First let me clarify a few things about myself. I am fully vaccinated as of the beginning of last July and got the booster now a little over a month ago. I have quite actively encouraged people especially anyone who is at all vulnerable to get the vaccination. I have actually tried to obey the various mandates such as masking and public meeting as much as possible even when they did not always make sense to me. Our church has been in compliance as much as possible from the start going back and forth with zoom services and meeting outside all summer. We reorganized our interior space spreading benches apart and added a TV screen in the fellowship hall so that we could meet legally. And yes we are still wearing masks to church with very few exceptions. We have even learned to sing with them. I have been quite upset with some of the local church communities including one directly across the road from us that have openly defied the government rules especially after the first nine months or so. I am saying all of this to try and show you that I am in no way a radical right wing rebel. I hope a few of you already knew me well enough to know that.
And so when these things first began I told my wife that this whole thing is a colossal waste of time. Nobody will listen to a small ragtag, seemingly at first at least, unorganized group of truckers. But as the thing moved across the country and picked up steam I started to pay attention. Crowds of people holding Canadian flags were standing out in often up to minus thirty degree weather for hours on end watching as the convoy rolled by. And it soon became very evident that these were not your normal protesters. They were from all walks of life. All races. Families with children. About the only thing in common were the smiles on their faces. It was very evident that for the first time in two years many of these people were trying to latch on to a glimmer of hope. Yes there were some crude and disrespectful signs but there were even more expressions of joy and thankfulness and just simple support. Far more. And the money! Not only were people supporting with food and their presence along the way but within a week over 10 million dollars had been voluntarily given by well over 100000 individuals. To put that into perspective none of our major political parties raised that in the three months of the election period during the last elective in spite of heavy canvassing and the fact that you get at least 50 percent rebate on your taxes when you donate to a political party.
My wife and I chose what we thought would be a remote overpass southwest of Kitchener to watch the convoy. It was not even an interchange but just a place on a remote country road where the 401 crosses under. As we neared in I told my wife that I expected we would be the only ones here and then to my amazement we approached the site and I was totally flabbergasted. There were literally hundreds of people watching at this bridge alone. Listening to the honk of trucks not only of those in the convoy but of the many others passing them or going the other way. Many of them cheering, some waving flags, some just standing there gazing into the raw wind in silence. I think I even saw a few frozen tears.
As I left I told my wife. This is great and all but the chance of them keeping this peaceful is almost nil. There will be those among them that will turn this into a riot. The powers that be will do everything to make this seem what it obviously is not. A violent bunch of losers that are just too stupid for their own good.
And sure enough when our PM finally acknowledged it he claimed they were just “a small fringe minority with unacceptable views”. Well, as someone who always like to cheer for the underdog they now had my attention. The last two weeks I have watched an estimated 15 hours of online footage often livestreamed of people walking around Ottawa. I also talked firsthand with a few people that were actually there. And I compared what they had to say the MSM reports. And the outright lies and mischaracterization even shocked me. On the first weekend apparently there was one person there with a Nazi flag. I think he was making the statement that the government was acting like Nazis but be that as it may he was chased off by the organizers. There was also one display of a confederate flag which is somewhat laughable because a lot of Canadian would not even know what it was. It was also quickly taken down I believe. In that first weekend there was a report of the War monument being slightly disrespected as well as a supposed desecration of the Terry Fox Statue and the aforementioned supposed taking of food by some that belonged to the homeless. Although this has been debunked by the organizers as certainly not being the truckers or their supporters as they had more food donated than they knew what to do with. In fact they had been donating food to the homeless including homeless shelters because they had so much more given than they needed. In the three weeks these have been about the worst things that the press could report on. In watching the huge crowds of protesters swarming the street these past 3 weekends I have been totally amazed. People are happy. They are partying and dancing on the street. They are communicating with police and often getting smiles. I have heard various police officers interviewed and almost everyone has indicated that people have been very peaceful and mostly respectful. When the court injunction against horn blowing came in almost all horns immediately stopped. To the point that street are often quieter than normal. I heard one resident of the Byward market area a place you might not normally go at night say that for the first time ever he feels safe in this area at night. Crime is actually down according to local people. Emergency lanes have been kept open. Truckers are constantly seen shovelling snow and guarding the war memorial. The last number of days a large number of veterans have come down in support.
I have watched as people expressed hope for a better future for the first time in two years. Many of these people have lost their jobs and for the first time it appears someone cares. One older lady shared how she had lost her two sons, both in their high 20’s or early 30’s, both with families and good former jobs to drug over doses in the last year because they had given up in despair. But the mainstream media is not telling these stories. If you listen to them and the government they are all a bunch of thugs out there who only care about themselves. Ironically even a few liberal members of parliament have come out against their own government actions saying that the protesters have been totally misaligned by the press and their own government. You have to be Canadian to understand how rare it is for someone on the government side to speak out against their own government. It almost never happens. As to the inconvenience to the local people. Hundreds of locals have been very supportive. I heard them myself. A few have suggested they have been harassed or claimed that business have been hurt but frankly any business that wanted to be open could be. There are no fires, no vandalism. Any restaurants that are open are actually really busy for the first time in a long time. It really is a bit rich in my mind to claim that business being shut down for a protest is a terrible thing when in fact so many have been shut down and inconvenienced for two years now.
My personal opinion had always been that protests should not inconvenience people but again the inconsistency of government and union leaders and teachers complaining about these protest when they use protests and strikes to inconvenience people all the time is not lost on me. Just a few years ago the main rail line was shut down in a protest for well over a month. It cost industry and the general public hundreds of millions of dollars and the government never once suggested the small amount of protesters should move. Oh and as the Nazi flag? At a BLM protest just a few years ago the PM came out to talk to the protestors and looking directly at a man holding a Nazi flag he thanked them for being there. But with these protesters he could not even meet with them stating at one point that it is a question as to “whether Canada should leave room for them”. And I do not think he was just talking about on the street of Ottawa.
One other thing struck me about the protesters. I lost track of the number of people that were interviewed by the vloggers that were of Eastern European descent. All of them said the same thing. They came to Canada for freedom. What they have seen in the past few years reminded them of what they had left. There were looks of fear and disbelief in their eyes. And they said for the first time in two years they have hope.
So in summary what do I think? Two recent polls have shocked me. One in a good way and one in a very bad way. The first is that 54 percent of Canadians think it is now time to get rid of all mandates. That poll was taken at the very beginning of the protest. It may very well be higher now. The other said that 27 percent of Canadians believe that non vaccinated people should be put in jail.
Think about that. To me that is extremely scary and sad. And so while I am not inclined to be a public protester there is at this point a part of me that supports what I think the majority of them are trying to accomplish. I applaud their effort to do so peacefully up till now. We are told in scripture to pray that we can live in peace so that the Kingdom and the church can prosper. And when I see all the people that have been so badly hurt I feel like a coward when I stay quiet. Frankly some of the arguments for not getting involved were exactly the same ones that some in the church used for not speaking out against government in the US when slavery was the issue. No it is not the same issue but try telling that women that lost her two sons that. And her story is just one of thousands.
If you are still reading this, I am sorry for taking so much of your time. Thank you for letting me spill my guts as it were. With the federal emergency order being put in place today I have no idea what is in the future. I fear for the many that have had their hopes raised and that almost for sure will have them dashed. I pray it does not turn violent. And while some of my Anabaptist brothers and sister as well as other Christians have taken a much stronger stand on this than I would see as wise I will not condemn them at least as long as they continue to be respectful of those that differ with them. But the dishonesty especially of the elite that I have seen does not give me much hope for the future of our countries if they are not successful in being called out.
Yes I still believe that truth will always win out in the end. The question is will I be brave enough to stand for truth always with a heart of love. To do otherwise I believe is to succumb to hate.

May the peace of God be with us all.

[Soloist]

Ernie,
With respect, I’ve been a lot more involved in politics than you have been, and your approach would accomplish absolutely nothing.
The current government is not interested in hearing appeals from people who don’t want mandates. It is not a matter of a need to be more “respectful”. It is much more analogous to Anabaptists attempting to petition Swiss government; they were met with execution.

I don't doubt that you have been more involved in politics than I have.
But I'm guessing you have never received 200 million pieces of mail, plus 200 million faxes per day, plus a line of people at least a mile long, that is carrying signs and dropping off mail. I'm guessing that this would draw the same kind of media coverage and would have similar or better impact on government authorities. I think it would have the same impact as a peaceful protest that did not create traffic chaos, disturb civilian residents, or hinder people from going to work and providing for their families.

A demanding sort of protest is done in a very different spirit, and does not really care about how others might suffer from traffic chaos, disturbing civilian residents with constant loud noise, hindering people from earning enough money to pay their bills, looting stores, burning cars, destroying buildings, etc.

Our presidents are chosen with less then 200mil votes. I don't see how any protest would ever come anywhere near 200mil ever. That's just completely unrealistic. Also I think you don't understand that 200 million faxes would also severely impair the networks in our country going to the same location. 200 million letters could cause substantial delays to people who rely on speedy deliveries for medication, food and so on.
Most of these protests are carried out with under a few thousand people at best yet they get media attention. How do we know they represent the view of the citizens? polls? done by the media with all their agenda? The media can twist a protest by drawing attention to houses being burned down, how people feel unsafe or they can draw attention to the cause and the justice of it. Who really controls the opinion you hear and read?

Appleman, thanks for the account. I know the media spins things but its nice to hear perspectives from accurate reports.

[Signtist]

I'm saying that residents of Ottawa and Windsor should be able to wear masks if they choose to, (for whatever reason) without protestors harassing them for doing so.

I agree. I'd be absolutely shocked if an overwhelming majority of protestors wouldn't also agree.

[Signtist]

I have no problem with that. I do have a problem with making life uncomfortable for others who have not contributed to the debate nor wish to be involved in the debate. There are ways and places to do protests and demonstrations, that do not result in people being harassed, in people not being able to go to work, and people needing to drive several hours to use another bridge, etc.

The Ambassador Bridge was never part of the Freedom Convoy. It was separate and almost needs uts own discussion. Other than noise, I believe Ottawa residents haven't been too interrupted in their daily living. Certainly it would appear that the city is now safer than before, and the homeless are looked after far better than ever before. In reading your comments, even the poll itself, Erie, I can't help but wonder where you got your information from.

[Robert]

The first hour is an excellent interview with one of the originators of the Freedom Convoy. He gives a history and layout of what is going on really well. I have not watched past the first hour yet. I can not speak to anything else on this. It is the first hour that I hope you will watch. Quite informative. Viva Frei (David Freiholt) is the interviewer. He is the Canadian lawyer I have watched for a long time.